Growing Food Connections

Awareness around the field of food systems planning has increased significantly in the last decade. APA has led many efforts to better understand the role of planning in community and regional food systems. Planning is the starting point to inform new methods for reintegrating the food system by increasing food security in vulnerable areas, strengthening the sustainability and economic resilience of urban and rural communities, and supporting farms engaged in local and regional food systems that use sustainable practices.

To date, GFC has assessed communities to understand how they have improved their local food systems, began to provide technical assistance to Communities of Opportunity, and developed applied tools for planners to utilize in their community.

Resources

Food Systems Reader: A collection of published resources that explore local and regional level public policy challenges and opportunities related to community food production, community food security, and community food connections.

Food Policy Database: A searchable collection of local public policies that explicitly support community food systems.

If you would like to submit a policy for potential inclusion in the database, please fill out this form. Please submit only those policies that have been officially adopted by a local government (municipality or county).

Explore Stories of Innovative Food Policies

Seattle

Through a combined approach of visionary leadership, long-range planning, departmental coordination, public-private partnerships, and public funding for innovative programs, the Seattle municipal government is taking a leading role in strengthening the regional food system. This profile highlights a few of the municipal government's landmark efforts to improve access to healthy food for its residents while simultaneously improving the viability of regional agriculture.